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Humorous tales, cautionary tales, tall tales, fairy tales, heroic tales – the depths of Swedish folklore hold all of the above and more besides. From cunning folk and helpful Tomtar, to sinister Näcken and the Stallos of Sami legend (and with plenty of romance and derring-do in-between), this book covers centuries' worth of Sweden's folk tales, telling stories that have never been translated into English as well as several oral tales published in writing for the first time.
"This book crawls into your psyche, peeling back the cosy layers of Halloween nostalgia to reveal its chilling roots in ancient horror." - Haunted magazine HALLOWEEN. The night when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. When ghosts walk and corpses writhe, and innocent souls had best beware. Let acclaimed storyteller Brice Stratford take you on a wild and witchy ride, fascinating and unnerving in equal measure, through the twists and turns of Allhallowstide, and the forgotten history of Halloween and the wider Hallowmas season. With ghost stories, ancestor worship, bone fires, otherworld pixies, Pagan belief and archaic, Christian mythology along the way, Stratford shares for the first time the deeper tales and stranger lore that lurk beneath the tricks and treats we know so well, and the ancient flame that keeps the Jack o'Lantern lit. Light the candles, lock the doors, and prepare to be unsettled. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let's begin.
This fascinating book, enriched by archive photographs from private collections, contains a terrifying assortment of true-life tales from Hertford and its surrounding villages. Featuring stories of unexplained phenomena, phantoms and poltergeists – including a blood-soaked policewoman seen in a mirror, the numerous ghosts of Haileybury College, and spectral Cromwellian soldiers – discover what lurks in the shadows of this historically rich county town. Drawing on historical and contemporary sources, and accounts which have never before been published, Haunted Hertford is sure to enthral everyone interested in the supernatural history of the area.
These lively and entertaining folk tales are vividly retold by professional storyteller Fiona Angwin. Their origins lost in the oral tradition, these 30 stories from the Isle of Man reflect the wisdom (and eccentricities) of the Island and its people. Discover why the Manx cat has no tail and what makes the Loghton sheep so unusual. Read about the Black Dog of Peel , Jack the Giant Killer, the Buggane of St Trinians, fairy folk, and the phynodderee. These enchanting tales will appeal to modern readers and storytellers, young and old alike, both on the Isle of Man and elsewhere.
The prince no longer kisses the princess, Cinderella helps her new husband to pick a new dress and the relationship between Mr Wolf and the three little pigs is a bit more complicated than you might have thought. In this collection of delightful, empowering and often magical tales, Kevin Walker creates and adapts a host of stories for the LGBTQ+ community. These sometimes traditional and sometimes modern tales show queer people that they belong not only in today’s world, but also in a storytelling tradition going back centuries, if not millennia. This is a wonderful collection for LGBTQ+ readers of all ages to enjoy and continue to tell for years to come, introducing characters who are romantic, brave, mysterious or fantastical – but always authentic.
"This delightful book is filled with fascinating and enchanting folklore and histories of both coast and sea. Even if you are not a coastal dweller, you will find magic and wonder in some of England's oldest and strangest tales. A lovely read." - Annie Worsley England is a maritime nation. Our folklore and history are scattered with tall tales of the high seas, mysteries of the unknown world beneath the ocean surface, and the coast where human life meets the salt sea. This book is a collection of traditional folk tales from the coasts and seas of England, retold with a contemporary twist by Lisa Schneidau. Within these pages you'll find magic and monsters, sailor heroes and ghost ships, and even mermaids and shapeshifters. Immerse yourself in these sea stories and let the current of England's mysterious ocean world sweep you away.
'An excellent and comprehensive exploration of this fascinating subject.' - Philip Carr-Gomm, author Druid Mysteries ' Samhain was the entry point into winter, a time of hardship, cold and hunger ... It was also a time of introspection, of communing with the dead and the otherworld – themes that have somehow survived, albeit distorted, into the modern era.' The modern celebration of Halloween is derived from the ancient festival of the dead known in Ireland as Samhain. It is from Ireland that we have inherited most of our Halloween traditions, mainly through the diaspora. Delving into the ancient past, this book uncovers the history of this festival in Britain, Ireland and Brittany, including the forgotten goddess Tlachtga and the sacred temple of the Druids in Co. Meath, where the first Halloween fires were lit.
Did you know? Richard Burton claimed that he would rather have played rugby for Wales at Cardiff Arms Park than Hamlet at the Old Vic. Local rivalries between choirs in the 'land of song' used to be so fierce that fights would break out following singing competitions. Roald Dahl was an RAF fighter pilot during the Second World War, and a near-death crash landing inspired his first published work. The Little Book of Welsh Culture is a fast-paced, fact-filled journey through the cultural heritage of Wales, crammed full of myths, traditions and personalities. Experience the country's immense artistic legacy as never before, from the medieval legends surrounding King Arthur and The Mabinogion to its modern-day transformation into a thriving filming location for big-screen blockbusters. Discover the truth behind the ancient druidic rituals of the National Eisteddfod, separate the facts from the fiction that surround Dylan Thomas' infamous lifestyle, and learn how Wales successfully regenerated the Doctor Who franchise – and unearth some fascinating secrets and hidden gems along the way.
In these twelve tales the overriding theme is love in all its guises, while touching upon the thornier issues of fear, jealousy, control, revenge and loneliness. "Boldly Into Darkness Go" invites the reader to take a journey into the lives of the diverse characters and dig a little bit deeper, to find out what's beneath the surface.
Newly updated, this accessible history explores the origins and development of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Why has it proved so intractable, and what are the implications of escalating tensions for both the Middle East and the world? The ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the most bitter conflicts of modern times, with profound global consequences. In this comprehensive and stimulating overview, Middle East expert Michael Scott-Baumann charts its history from the late nineteenth century to the present day. Each chapter offers a lucid explanation of the politics and includes personal testimony of Israelis and Palestinians whose lives have been marked by conflic...